Standards and laws

The Australian Government controls the export of certain goods through the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service. Controls include an absolute prohibition or a restriction, with the latter requiring written permission to export the goods.

However, exporters must be mindful that each market destination will have its own set of standards and laws governing the import of goods into their country.

The Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) provides a step-by-step guide to exporting, while the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website contains country briefs and fact sheets, including trade data, on Australia’s trading partners around the world.

Aspiring and current exporters should investigate their eligibility for grants and schemes available through various government and industry bodies, such as Austrade’s Export Market Development Grants scheme; small business grants (import/export) disbursed through the Australian Government’s Business Aid Centre; and AusIndustry’s Tradex Scheme, which exempts eligible imported goods from customs duty and GST if they are intended for export.